Portugal

ECO123: Are you a woodcutter? Woodcutter: Yes. What do you cut down normally? Eucalyptus, pine trees… At present, it’s eucalyptus and pine that are in greatest demand. Where are you from? I’m from Brazil. A chain saw like that cuts well, doesn’t it? Sure, it’ll even cut your legs if you’re not careful. Is it hard work? Oh, we’re accustomed to it … used to it. And do you earn well doing this work? Not bad. Quite good, or not bad? 100 € a day. 100€ a day? And social security? … And what else do you do here? You …

ECO123: We would like to know a bit more about your work. Do you transport eucalyptus? Driver: Yes. Is the eucalyptus going to the factory in Setúbal? These ones are going to Setúbal. To make what? Those are to make cellulose, pulp, paper. How much money do you get per tonne? A tonne for the producer? Yes. 42, 43 euros. At the factory. The factory pays. They pay, once it’s there. And how many tonnes do you transport? It depends on the wood. The vehicle’s maximum is 30 tonnes. Does a eucalyptus forest pay well? Here and now, cellulose is …

Confectionery is part of Portuguese culture and sees one of its high points during the Christmas period. This Christmas, ECO123 invited the people who run two of the best confectionery businesses in the Algarve to share some sugary recipes with you with the typical flavour of the Algarve. Located in the centre of Portimão, the Casa da Isabel is a return to the past of our dreams: that time when, in an old but welcoming house, there is always a magnificent sweet treat awaiting us, a cup of tea to warm us up, a traditional product from an Algarve that …

President of Monchique municipal council: ECO123: How can we create a Portugal without forest fires? Rui André: In Monchique, there have been a number of fires, but the strategy of a very powerful initial attack has enabled almost all of them to be put out right at the start. Given the vulnerability of the region, we see these results as being very positive, but we have also been quite lucky. In other places, and with the same strategy, unfortunately this year there have been fires like the ones here in 2003. There’s a lot of work ahead of us. There are …

Lieutnant-Colonel; Chief of the Nature and  Environment Protection Service ECO123: In your opinion, what it the solution for the forest fires in Portugal? GNR: Allow me to begin my response by stating that fires are not fought, fires are avoided. This leads us to the prevention phase. Immediate prevention, let’s call it, which implies raising the awareness of people who live in the rural areas so as to draw attention to behaviours which should be avoided and to prevention campaigns which must be implemented periodically before the summer period. For short- to medium-term results, campaigns and awareness-raising among the young …

ECO123: What is needed in order not to have forest fires in Portugal in 2014? Fernando Castelo, former chief of the voluntary fire-fighters of Portimão, in the senior officers reserve, responded: More inspection activity is needed, for example in the case of burning and clearing the land, and penalising those people who do not comply with the law. T his is the work of the security forces, especially the GNR, but there should be a role involving more intervention by the fire brigades, through a change in the law. There should also be information and training campaigns carried out among …

Commandant  of the Special Firefighting Force – National Civil Defence Authority ECO123: What is needed for there to be no forest fires in Portugal? That’s impossible, whatever we do from 2013 to 2014, it’s impossible. In any case, we must firstly try to minimise forest fires, mainly the number, because our country has a very large number when compared with the rest of Europe. By reducing the number of fires, we will be more effective in firefighting as there will be more resources available, and we will certainly be able to respond in a more appropriate and balanced manner. To …

José Eduardo, aged 55; mechanic, hunter and farmer ECO123: What can we do to avoid forest fires in Portugal? First and foremost is prevention, clearing the forests. I am not in disagreement with what is spent, including the military. That is all very useful but I think that a lot of money is spent on these things. The same amount of money should ensure that a lot of prevention work is done, clearing, and firebreaks, cutting wide strips of twenty or thirty metres of scrubland in small areas and, even if not in all of them, in properties. It would …

Henrique Pinheiro (aged 53), managing partner of Medal Seguros Lda., representantative of Allianz and Zurich (among others) in Portimão ECO123: How can we avoid fires in Portugal? Henrique Pinheiro: Thirty years ago there were no fires. Why? There were also forests, but they were kept clear. Why don’t we send the military to watch over the forests like in Monchique? And the firefighters need to have better access to the areas, better resources and secure funding. We need to take more care. Clear, protect the land and avoid fires. Firebreaks, tanks and dams… From the point of view of an …

Idália Duarte, aged 55; butcher ECO123: What can we do to avoid forest fires? Clear the forests, care for the forests as was done in the past, when the forests were kept clear. Whether it’s scrubland or old wood, it’s the best that could be done, caring for our forests, making the forests into a garden. What responsibility does eucalyptus have nowadays for the fires? It is already known that eucalyptus is very dangerous for the fires, but if people took care to clear the forests, it could be prevented. The bad thing is not that there is just eucalyptus. …